‘Nothing will bring my son back’

Balkrishna Yadav, father of 19-year-old Rushabh, who was stabbed to death at the Bandra Reclamation promenade on Saturday, said the tragic death of his son is “destiny”.

“I have lost my son. But it was destiny and inevitable. However, I do hope and pray that no family should go through the trauma that my family has undergone,” said Balkrishna, who works with the publicity department in Mantralaya.

Balkrishna said he did not want to blame anybody for the incident. “I have lost my 19-year-old son and no amount of reasoning is going to bring him back,” he cried, seated in his home in the Government Colony at Bandra (East).

Rushabh leaves behind is parents and a school-going brother.

A science student of Vidyalankar College at Wadala, Rushabh was to appear for his second year exams in a few months.

The Yadavs live a few blocks away from the house of Swati Shirke, who was with Rushabh when he was stabbed. Shirke, 19, was also injured in the incident.

Her family refused to comment when the Hindustan Times approached them.

Shirke is pursuing a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery (BAMS) course from the University of Mumbai. She was discharged from Bhabha hospital after being treated for the injury she suffered on her right shoulder when the thieves attacked her.